A Green Sweep
Natural cleaners are tough on grime but gentle on your family and the planet.
By Linda Mason Hunter
Conventional cleaning products are among the most harmful items ever to hit the home. If common warning labels like “Danger,” “Hazardous” and “Caution” don’t scare you away, remember that these products redden hands, make eyes water and irritate your respiratory system during use. The problem lies in their industrial-strength ingredients—much too potent for household use. These ingredients include chlorine, benzene and optical brighteners. Chlorine is found in bleaching agents and some toilet cleaners and may contribute to reproductive, endocrine and immune-system disorders. Benzene appears in some oven cleaners and is a known carcinogen, while optical brighteners show up in laundry soap and other whitening products and can cause skin allergies. These toxic synthetic chemicals pollute indoor air, harm your family’s health, and wreak  havoc on the environment.
The good news is that synthetic chemical cleaners are completely unnecessary. You can make gentler alternatives from earth-friendly ingredients, many of which you may already have in your cupboard. Eco-cleaners are worth the extra effort to protect you, your family and the environment from unnecessary toxins.
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In addition to reducing the number of items that release chemicals into the air in your home, try bringing a piece of nature inside. Research shows many easy-to-find household plants can actually help clean the air of toxic gases and chemicals. Estimates say 15 to 20 of these pollution-eaters can purify the interior of a typical 1,800 square foot house. These plants generally live year-round, are easy to care for, and can be found at your local plant shop or some major retailers.
